The Whiteboys (Irish: Buachaillí Bána) were a secret Irish agrarian organization in 18th-century Ireland which used violent tactics to defend tenant farmer land rights for subsistence farming. Their name derives from the white smocks the members wore in their nightly raids, but the Whiteboys were as usually referred to at the time as Levellers by the authorities, and by themselves as "Queen Sive Oultagh's children", "fairies", or as followers of "Johanna Meskill" or "Sheila Meskill", all symbolic figures supposed to lead the movement. They sought to address rack-rents, tithe collection, excessive priests' dues, evictions and other oppressive acts. As a result they targeted landlords and tithe collectors. Over time, Whiteboyism became a general term for rural violence connected to secret societies. Because of this generalization, the historical record for the Whiteboys as a specific organisation is unclear. There were three major outbreaks of Whiteboyism: 1761–64; 1770–76; and 1784–86.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteboys

And again in 2009? :)

There's a fiddle tune called "King of the Fairies," and it's not the modern meaning of "fairy" as homosexual either. It is a very fast, marching tune, which I thought of when I saw this reference at the Wikipedia site:

March 1762 saw a further escalation of Whiteboy activities, with marches to "disaffected and treasonable tunes"[citation needed] about the countryside, entering towns at night to fire guns and taunt garrisoned troops

I always wondered where this song came from. Maybe this. It's funny how you can take a piece of paper with music on it, and hear something that seems to talk about some historical event. I have never even heard a recording of this song, but when I play it, I hear Celtic people going to war.

Have a listen to Sinead O'Connor singing 'The Foggy Dew'! I'm not always a big fan of hers but its a rousing anthem! YouTube - Celtic - Sinead O,Connor & The Chieftains - The Foggy Dew -

There's a fiddle tune called "King of the Fairies," and it's not the modern meaning of "fairy" as homosexual either.

Lol I know when I read that it made me laugh! At the time though fairies or other supernatural beings were far more sinister, most people believed in them and seeing these figures in white robes must have been terrifying. The KKK had a similar effect, although it is easier to spook a coon! :D I always wondered if the Whiteboys had any part of the formation of the KKK? Maybe these stories did go to America with the settlers. The cross burning was a celtic ritual I believe. The robes may also have come from the Semana Santa ceremonies in Spain celebrating the Inquisition (getting rid of the jews and muslims :) ) and the 'ku klux' came from the Greek 'Cyclos' or some such thing..

Here's the Whiteboys profile on bebo.. http://bebo.com/whiteboysii6